Ask Tom

Letter of the week

We are going to Spain in September for our honeymoon, and want to travel by train as much as possible. We've booked from London to Paris and Barcelona. Can we travel on by train to Cantabria and the Picos de Europa National Park, or will we need to hire a car at some point?Graham Barron, by email

If you were travelling directly to Cantabria from the UK it would make more sense to take a train via Bordeaux to the Spanish frontier then travel to Santander by bus or local trains. Even from elsewhere in Spain, taking a train to Santander via Madrid is the best way to go. To get the best out of the Picos de Europa, you'll need a car, which you can pick up in Santander - otherwise you'll spend a lot of time waiting for buses. In the Picos, Arriondas is a good base for activities such as self-guided canoeing trips, or head to the popular Cares Gorge, between Poncebos and Cain, for excellent walking. Alternatively, Fuente Dé is a good base for walking and climbing, accessed via the teleférico. For more information see www.asturiaspicosdeeuropa.com.

Q We're off to Havana for a B&B week and have been told that certain things are in short supply in Cuba. What are good gifts to take? Second, in April we have a Suez Canal cruise booked. I'd love to see the pyramids from a hot-air balloon - is there a reputable firm that could organise this before we go?Jo Hennessey, Loughton, Essex

He suggests: 'Giving gifts is entirely in keeping with island traditions. A few years ago something as humble as an exotic bar of soap would have been appropriate; nowadays, visitors will do better to provide a slightly more expensive present. Cubans love smelly stuff, so bathroom products or perfumes (not Cuban ones!) will be received gratefully. Another good option is small or medium-sized electrical items, which are extremely hard to find in Cuba.'

The airspace over the pyramids in Cairo is protected and there are no balloon flights. The nearest location would be in Luxor, where early morning flights over the West Bank of the Nile and the magnificent sights of ancient Thebes are popular. Try Magic Horizons (www.magic-horizons.com) for prices and booking.

Q My daughter is volunteering in Kumba, Cameroon, until next June. My wife and I would like to visit her and see some of the country. Tourism does not seem well developed, so we need advice on when to go, what to see, how to arrange it and how to keep costs reasonable (flights look expensive). A complication is that my wife has fixed holidays: 4-19 October/20 December-4 January/4-19 April. Colin Armstrong, by email

Cameroon has everything a great African destination should have: friendly people, mountains, rainforest, wildlife and vibrant culture. Despite this, tourism remains in its infancy. The reason, according to Paul Clammer, author of the Cameroon chapter of Lonely Planet's West Africa guide, is that 'it's in a tough neighbourhood'. Indeed, sharing borders with, among others, Nigeria, Chad and Congo, hardly puts it on a well-trodden tourist trail.

One cost you can't avoid is getting there. Connections are available through several European carriers - Air France and Swiss, for example, and Royal Air Maroc also has good connections throughout West Africa via Casablanca. Both the April and October holidays your wife can make fall on the shoulders of the rainy season so are reasonably good times to go - a fare from the UK to Douala of around £850 including taxes should be possible.

The cost of living and travel is low. There's not much to detain you in Douala apart from getting currency and your bearings. Kumba is in the Anglophone area - points north, south and south-east are French-speaking - and close to some of the country's highlights. Without venturing too far from Kumba you can visit Mount Cameroon, West Africa's highest peak, relax on the black-sand beaches of Limbe and go wildlife-spotting in Korup National Park. Treks, guides and equipment can be arranged through the Mount Cameroon Ecotourism Association (www.mountcameroon.com). Another good English-speaking area to explore is the Ring Road through the north-western highlands around Mount Oku. You'll need to organise a vehicle, but most hotels can help you find a car and driver.

Q I am planning to treat myself to a three-week trip to Australia to visit a friend who has moved to the Sunshine Coast. As it's my first time in Australia, I intend to land in Sydney before making my way up to Maroochydore. What hostels can you recommend in Sydney and Brisbane? I am travelling alone, and am a female in my late twenties. I've only stayed in a hostel once before, and never alone.I am aware of the attractions in Sydney. However, many reports of Brisbane (albeit online) refer to it as a lovely city, but don't seem to suggest a huge amount of 'must sees' and things to do. Have you any suggestions of an itinerary for me there?H Jones, by email

Both Brisbane and Sydney have a wide range of hostel options. One of the better bets is Bunk Brisbane (from £12; www.bunkbrisbane.com.au) in fashionable Fortitude Valley. It has a pool and bar hosting popular weekly barbecues. For something smaller, Banana Benders Backpackers (from £12; www.bananabenders.com) has everything you'd expect including plenty of gardens to relax in.

In Sydney there's even more choice, but if you book ahead, Sydney Central and Sydney Railway Square YHA (from £14, www.yha.com.au) are both excellent options. While there's no need to be concerned about safety in any of these locations, many hostels have good-value single rooms that offer privacy and a lockable door, which can be excellent value for money.

Brisbane is a green and pleasant place. It doesn't have an opera house or harbour bridge stand-out attraction - the pleasure is exploring different neighbourhoods and enjoying a different pace of life. While you can see a lot on foot, hiring a bicycle is a good aid to exploring Australia's best urban parks: Roma St Parkland, City Botanic Gardens and South Bank Parklands.